VG Alaskan Yellow Cedar
Also known as: Sitka Cedar, Nootka Cedar, and Yellow Cedar
Scientific: Chamaecyparis nootkatensis
Janka Hardness: 2,589 H
This hard, dense vertical grain Cedar with tight growth rings can be found growing slowly in the Pacific Northwest, from Oregon, through British Columbia, and into Alaska. It's prized by boat makers, luthiers, and architects. Though hard and dense, it has a very low weight, giving it a high strength-to-weight ratio, similar to that of Douglas Fir.
Character of Vertical Grain Yellow Cedar:
VG Yellow Cedar's durability makes it an exception architectural millwork material. It mills clean, with little or no warping, checking, or chatter. It's a great material for large scale architectural projects such as schools, churches, and civic centers.
VG Yellow Cedar Color:
Yellow Cedar is just that. It has a range of colors for sulfur like yellow to a creamy-white color with the occasional black streaks.
Common uses for Vertical Grain Yellow Cedar:
- Wood beams
- Wood Cladding
- Wood T/g
- Wood Carvings
- Musical Instruments
- Totem Poles
- Canoes and Boat Building
Fun facts about Alaskan Yellow Cedar:
- The oldest known use for Yellow Cedar is about 3000 years ago.
- Baskets and rope found near Vancouver date back 2900-3000 years.
- Alaskan Yellow Cedar was used by the Western Coast Native American peoples for totem poles and war canoes.
- The oldest totem poles in the world are carved from Cedar.
